Roman Palacios

Citing the defendant's cooperation, federal prosecutors Thursday took the highly unusual step of dropping extortion charges against a former Santa Ana City Council candidate who helped them crack a complex political corruption scheme orchestrated by a former councilman. The surprise move, which both prosecutors and the judge described as extraordinary, brings to a close a case that has reverberated across the city's political landscape for three years.

Citing the defendant's cooperation, federal prosecutors Thursday took the highly unusual step of dropping extortion charges against a former Santa Ana City Council candidate who helped them crack a complex political corruption scheme orchestrated by a former councilman. The surprise move, which both prosecutors and the judge described as extraordinary, brings to a close a case that has reverberated across the city's political landscape for three years.

City Councilman Ted Moreno will fight political corruption charges by alleging that the FBI entrapped him, his attorney said Wednesday. For two years, Moreno has denied accusations that he extorted thousands of dollars from business owners who had matters pending before the City Council. Moreno is building his legal defense on the contention that the FBI crossed the line in its two-year corruption probe, according to interviews and court papers.

City Councilman Ted Moreno will fight political corruption charges by alleging that the FBI entrapped him, his attorney said Wednesday. For two years, Moreno has denied accusations that he extorted thousands of dollars from business owners who had matters pending before the City Council. Moreno is building his legal defense on the contention that the FBI crossed the line in its two-year corruption probe, according to interviews and court papers.

Revealing that he has secretly cooperated with investigators for the last few months, former Santa Ana City Council candidate Roman Palacios pleaded guilty Friday to one felony charge in an elaborate extortion and money-laundering scheme aimed at gaining control of the council.

Santa Ana City Councilman Ted R. Moreno, facing audio- and videotaped evidence of more than 100 conversations detailing an alleged extortion scheme, pleaded not guilty Monday to federal charges of masterminding an illegal operation to finance election campaigns. Also pleading not guilty to public corruption charges were Councilman Tony Espinoza and onetime council candidate Hector Olivares.

The government can introduce as evidence grand jury testimony by former Santa Ana Councilman Tony Espinoza in the corruption case against him and two other political allies, a federal judge ruled Monday. Attorneys for Espinoza had tried to throw out the bulk of his statements on the grounds that they were tied to a plea agreement that was later voided when Espinoza pleaded not guilty. U.S.

The government can introduce as evidence grand jury testimony and other statements given by former Santa Ana Councilman Tony Espinoza in the public corruption case against him and two political allies, a federal judge ruled Monday. Attorneys for Espinoza had tried to throw out the bulk of his statements on grounds that they were tied to a plea agreement that was later voided when Espinoza pleaded not guilty. U.S.

Former Santa Ana City Council candidate Hector Olivares pleaded guilty Monday to two counts of mail fraud in connection with an alleged scheme to conceal the source of illegal cash contributions to his 1996 campaign and to funnel illegal cash contributions to another candidate's campaign.

A federal judge on Monday sentenced former Santa Ana City Councilman Tony Espinoza to one year of probation and 250 hours of community service for lying to investigators probing a scheme to take control of the council. Espinoza, the second of four defendants to be sentenced in the case, pleaded guilty earlier this year to one felony count of lying to federal investigators. Calling the case a "tragedy" for the community, U.S. District Judge Gary L.

Santa Ana City Councilman Ted R. Moreno, facing audio- and videotaped evidence of more than 100 conversations detailing an alleged extortion scheme, pleaded not guilty Monday to federal charges of masterminding an illegal operation to finance election campaigns. Also pleading not guilty to public corruption charges were Councilman Tony Espinoza and onetime council candidate Hector Olivares.

Revealing that he has secretly cooperated with investigators for the last few months, former Santa Ana City Council candidate Roman Palacios pleaded guilty Friday to one felony charge in an elaborate extortion and money-laundering scheme aimed at gaining control of the council.

Former Santa Ana Councilman Tony Espinoza has pleaded guilty to a felony count of lying to federal investigators in connection with a public corruption case, a judge revealed Monday. The plea, entered last week in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, came two weeks before Espinoza and former Councilman Ted Moreno were to stand trial on charges of participating in a 1996 scheme to extort campaign money from local businessmen.

Santa Ana City Councilman Ted R. Moreno took the witness stand Wednesday in his political corruption trial, testifying that the FBI informant who allegedly gave him $31,000 in illegal campaign contributions once threatened to "destroy" him. Moreno painted the informant, Victor Kosherian, as a "Jekyll and Hyde" who was frightening one minute and flattering the next.